Nutrition-Basics

The Composition of Calorie Consumption

The most important thing for successfully losing, gaining or maintaining weight is understanding your total daily energy expenditure (TDEE). Once you have an estimate of how many calories you burn each day, you can adjust your food intake accordingly and monitor your progress.

Your total daily energy expenditure consists of four main components:

• RMR - Resting Metabolic Rate
  The energy your body needs to maintain essential functions at rest, such as breathing, circulation and organ function.

• NEAT - Non-exercise activity thermogenesis
  The energy you burn through everyday movement outside of structured exercise, such as walking, cleaning, gardening or even fidgeting.

• TEF - Thermic Effect of Food
  The energy your body uses to digest, absorb and process the food you eat.

• TEA - Thermic Effect of Activity
  The energy you expend during structured exercise, such as strength training, running or cycling.

RMR + NEAT + TEF + TEA = TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure)

This gives you an estimate of how many calories your body burns throughout the day.
You can calculate your personal TDEE using my TDEE Calculator.

And if you want to increase your calorie expenditure, you don't necessarily need to spend hours doing cardio. Simply maintaining an active lifestyle can make a big difference. Cleaning, gardening, going for walks or having a physically demanding job all add up.

The Calorie Balance Decides

Caloric intake is the key factor in weight management.

• If we consume more calories than we expend, we will gain weight.

• If we consume the same number of calories as we expend, our weight will remain stable.

• If we consume fewer calories than we expend, we will lose weight.

The principle is simple. If your TDEE is around 2500 kcal, eating below that amount creates a calorie deficit, while eating above it creates a surplus. The larger the deficit, the faster weight loss can generally occur. However, your energy expenditure isn't fixed and may change as your body weight, activity and food intake change. These are basic physical laws that apply to everyone.

If you think you can eat as much as you want without gaining weight, it's unlikely that you simply have an incredibly fast metabolism. More often, you have a particularly active lifestyle, regularly eat foods that are relatively low in calories or consume less overall than you realize.

The opposite can also happen. If you're struggling to lose weight despite feeling that you're barely eating, you might be underestimating your calorie intake or overestimating your energy expenditure. Changes in water retention can also temporarily hide fat loss on the scale.

Of course, factors such as medical conditions, medication and individual differences in metabolism can make weight management more challenging. But the principle of energy balance still applies, even if finding your actual calorie requirements isn't always straightforward.

Once you've understood this, you can further optimize your nutrition by focusing on macronutrients, micronutrients and nutrient timing.

Weight Loss with Calorie Deficit

All diets ultimately rely on a calorie deficit to produce fat loss. Whether you prefer low-carb, low-fat, Paleo or intermittent fasting, the underlying principle remains the same: You need to expend more energy than you consume.

A calorie deficit means consuming fewer calories than your body expends. As a rough estimate, losing 1 kg of body fat requires an accumulated energy deficit of around 7000 kcal. For example, a daily deficit of 500 kcal could result in approximately half a kilogram of weight loss per week, although actual progress varies.

Weight loss also won't remain perfectly consistent throughout a diet. Initially, the scale may drop faster due to changes in water and glycogen stores. Likewise, after finishing a diet and increasing your food intake again, it's entirely possible to regain a few kilograms of water weight without having regained the same amount of body fat.

Even though some people swear by specific dietary methods like low-carb or intermittent fasting, the ultimate result of fat loss comes down to maintaining a calorie deficit. There are many paths to the same destination.

You can find out how to lose fat while preserving your muscles in my Fat Loss Diet Article.

Weight Gain in Calorie Surplus

If you want to gain weight, you generally need to consume more energy than you expend. This is called a calorie surplus. When building muscle, a small surplus is often a sensible approach, as gaining weight too quickly can also lead to unnecessary fat gain.

Personally, I'd recommend starting with a modest surplus of around 150-200 kcal per day and adjusting it based on your progress. This allows you to work towards gaining muscle without deliberately consuming far more calories than necessary.

You can read more about building muscle while keeping fat gain under control in my Bulking Strategy article.

The Nutrient Composition of Calories

The energy we get from food, measured in kilocalories (kcal), comes mainly from three macronutrients: protein, carbohydrates and fat. Each provides a different amount of energy per gram. Protein and carbohydrates contain approximately 4.1 kcal per gram, while fat provides around 9.3 kcal per gram. Alcohol also provides energy, at approximately 7.1 kcal per gram, although it isn't one of the three main dietary macronutrients.

All three macronutrients have important functions in the body. However, if you want to build muscle or maintain it while losing weight, protein deserves particular attention.

You can experiment with my Macros to Calorie Calculator to see how many calories different quantities of protein, carbohydrates and fat provide.

Macronutrient Distribution

The distribution of macronutrients plays an important role in muscle growth, muscle maintenance and training performance. During a diet, adequate protein intake is particularly important to minimize muscle loss and increase satiety. I recommend around 2.3 to 2.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight when cutting, especially during demanding diets. For weight maintenance, I prefer around 2.3 to 2.6 grams, while 1.8 to 2.3 grams are generally sufficient when bulking.

Once your protein and fat requirements are covered, the remaining calories can come from carbohydrates. The balance between fat and carbohydrates depends largely on personal preferences and training demands. Both low-carb and low-fat approaches can work well for weight management, provided your overall calorie balance is appropriate for your goal.

With my Macronutrient Distribution Calculator, you can determine your daily macronutrient targets based on your calorie goal.

IIFYM - If It Fits Your Macros

"If It Fits Your Macros" (IIFYM) is a flexible approach to nutrition that focuses on meeting your daily macronutrient targets rather than following strict food rules. In theory, you could eat pizza, snacks and a few protein shakes all day and still lose or gain weight as planned, provided your calorie balance and protein intake are appropriate.

However, just because this approach works for weight management doesn't mean it's necessarily healthy. You can have a great-looking physique and still have a poor diet. If most of your food consists of sweets and highly processed products, you might be getting enough calories and protein while missing out on essential vitamins, minerals and fiber.

Personally, I think the best way to approach IIFYM is to follow a simple 80/20 principle. Aim to get around 80% of your diet from nutrient-rich, mostly unprocessed foods that provide enough protein, healthy fats, vitamins, minerals and fiber. The remaining 20% can be whatever you enjoy, whether that's pizza, chocolate or your favorite dessert. That way, you can enjoy your food without sacrificing a balanced diet.

This is how IIFYM really works.

Vitamins & Minerals

Micronutrients are vitamins and minerals that our body needs in relatively small amounts for essential functions. Although they don't provide energy like macronutrients, they're involved in countless processes, including metabolism, immune function, muscle contraction and bone health.

There are 13 essential vitamins, divided into two groups: fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E and K) and water-soluble vitamins (C and the B vitamins). Fat-soluble vitamins can be stored in the body, while most water-soluble vitamins need to be consumed more regularly. Vitamin B12 is an exception, as the body can store considerable amounts of it.

Minerals are inorganic nutrients involved in functions such as bone formation, fluid balance, oxygen transport and muscle and nerve activity. Important examples include calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, iron and zinc.

Both deficiencies and excessive intakes of certain micronutrients can cause health problems. For example, insufficient vitamin D can affect bone health, while iron deficiency can lead to anemia. If a deficiency is suspected, appropriate blood tests can help identify it.

For most people, eating a balanced diet with plenty of vegetables, fruits, whole grains and a variety of protein sources is a good way to cover their micronutrient needs. A practical recommendation is to aim for at least five servings of fruits and vegetables per day.

Personally, if I haven't eaten enough vegetables during the day and still feel hungry in the evening but have only a few calories left, I simply prepare half a kilo of frozen vegetables with a low-calorie sauce and some spices. It tastes pretty good and fits into almost any calorie budget.

The Relevance of Nutrient Timing

Nutrient timing refers to the planning and distribution of carbohydrates, proteins and fats throughout the day. It can influence training performance, recovery and muscle protein synthesis.

However, especially for beginners, nutrient timing shouldn't be a priority. Getting enough calories, protein and other essential nutrients throughout the day is far more important than eating at specific times. Once these basics are covered, nutrient timing can be a useful way to further optimize your nutrition.

Carbs before Training

Consuming carbohydrates before a workout can help improve performance, especially during longer or more demanding training sessions. A carbohydrate-rich meal with foods like rice, oats or bread a few hours before training is a good option. If you're eating shortly before your workout, something easier to digest, such as a banana, might be more comfortable.

Protein after Training

Consuming protein after a workout supports muscle repair and growth. Easily digestible sources such as whey protein are a convenient choice, but there's no need to rush your protein intake immediately after your last set. Having a protein-rich meal within the following few hours is generally sufficient, especially if you've already eaten protein before training.

Slow-absorbing Protein before Sleep

Consuming slow-digesting protein, such as casein, before bedtime can provide amino acids over several hours and support muscle protein synthesis during sleep. Around 30 to 40 grams of protein from sources such as casein, quark or cottage cheese can be a practical option, particularly if you're still trying to reach your daily protein target.

Multiple Protein Servings throughout the Day

Distributing your protein intake across several meals can help stimulate muscle protein synthesis throughout the day. Three to five protein-rich meals are a practical approach, depending on your daily requirements and preferences. However, the idea that your body can only absorb a certain amount of protein per meal is a myth. Larger servings aren't simply wasted.

Take Vitamins with Fat-rich Meals

Fat-soluble vitamins such as A, D, E and K are generally better absorbed when consumed with some dietary fat. Therefore, combining vitamin-rich foods or supplements with a meal containing healthy fats can help improve their absorption.

Targeted Use of Supplements

Supplements can be useful, but they should be the last step in optimizing your nutrition. Protein powder is a convenient option if you struggle to meet your daily protein requirements. Vitamin D supplementation may be beneficial if your intake or vitamin D status is inadequate, while omega-3 supplements can be useful if you rarely consume fatty fish. Creatine is another good example, as it can directly improve strength and performance during high-intensity exercise.

However, that doesn't mean everyone needs the same supplements. Whether something is worth taking depends on your diet, lifestyle and individual needs. Certain deficiencies can be identified through appropriate blood tests, while other supplementation decisions depend mainly on your dietary intake and training goals.

Before spending money on supplements, I'd recommend getting your calorie intake, macronutrients and overall food quality in order first.

You can read more about individual supplements and their benefits in my Supplements article.

Closing Words

The easiest way to improve your nutrition is to take it one step at a time. If you want to lose weight, start by getting your calorie deficit right. Then focus on your macros, make sure you're getting enough vitamins, minerals and fiber, and leave the smaller details like nutrient timing and supplements for last.

You don't have to change everything at once. Get the basics right first, and the rest becomes much easier.

Update Status:
Originally created post: 08/2009
Last updated: 10/2026